Page 23 of Disco Fever

Fuck, what now?

“Little busy here, Patty,” I called out, fucking Kat.

“It’s about your angel.” We both froze, the moment completely killed.

“Dot,” Kat whispered. I gently slid from her body, twitching as we adjusted ourselves.

“What about him?” I asked, motioning towards the dead man.

“Forget that fucker—Dottie needs you.” Kat and I immediately ran to Patty, following as she led us back inside and through the club, returning our masks to our faces.

“What’s happened?” Kat asked.

“I’m not sure. I knew she was using—you know, coke—but this… this is different. Whatever she took—whatever that fucker gave her, well, it’s bad.” We stepped into Patty’s office, a small room tucked away from the rest of the club, and saw Dot sprawled out on the small couch, her usual color faded.

“Dot!” Kat rushed to her side, falling to knees as she held her face. “Dot, wake up.” She gently patted her cheek. “Fuck, she’s cold, Dante!” I ran to her side. “Dot? Dottie? Baby, wake up. Wake up!” Dot groaned faintly. The sound alone gave me some relief, but I knew she needed help.

“Patty?” I turned to look back at her, tossing her my keys. “Bring the car around. We’re taking her home.”

“She needs a hospital, Dante!” Kat shouted to me.

“She’s strung out, Kat! We can’t take her to a hospital. They’ll just pump her stomach and arrest her. Not to mention, the cops have been closing in on us for weeks. If either of us step foot inside a hospital, it’s all over.” Kat shook her head, grabbing Dot’s hand. “No, we need to get her home and do this ourselves.”

Patty rushed to move the car. I carefully picked Dot up, draping her over my shoulders as Kat covered her with a blanket, keeping her away from prying eyes. “What’re we going to do, Dante?” she asked.

“We’re going to save our angel.”

10

DOT

“Dot? Dot, wake up!”Kat’s distant voice sounded so distorted, as if we were underwater and she was miles away, screaming into the abyss. “Baby!” My head whirled around, lights and sound crashing together, my body weighed down as I felt like I was sinking, unable to breathe.

“Angel!” Dante’s scream pierced me like a bolt of lightning as my body jolted. It hurt so bad. And repeated over and over as I felt myself nearly convulsing, my skin burning and hot. “Get her in the shower!” I was being moved like a rag doll, unable to speak or even open my eyes. I felt dead, gripping onto a single sliver of my soul as I watched and experienced everything happening through a distorted view of reality.

I was slipping, my grasp weakening as I wanted to give into the sweet embrace of peace beckoning me deeper. I wanted to let go and drift away into the silence.

Let go.My own voice rippled through my mind. Just let go.

And at that moment, I did. I let go and felt the embrace of death as it took hold of me like a gentle hug.

“Dottie,” Kat’s whispered voice ripple down to me. “Baby, please. Please don’t leave us. Don’t leave me. Please.” I could feelher pain. The heartbreak she must be feeling in that moment. “Dante! Dante, she doesn’t have a pulse!”

I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry for everything.

DANTE

“Isshe going to be okay, Dante?” Kat asked. Her voice was pained and worrisome, more than I had ever heard before.

“I don’t know, Kitty Kat. I don’t know.” And honestly, I meant it. I didn’t fucking know.

11

DOT

I wantedto reach out to Kat. To show her it was okay to let go, but instead I felt myself wanting to rise up. To crawl back to her. To them both. And I began to panic.

Wait. I opened my mouth to scream, but it filled with water, choking my words as I began to suffocate on the darkness.Wait! I’m not ready!

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